Golf Club Head Cover

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of golf club head covers are described herein. Other embodiments and related examples comprising magnetic elements are also described herein.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/193,098, filed Jul. 29, 2005. The disclosure of the application above is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to sports equipment, and relates, more particularly, to golf club head covers.

BACKGROUND

Proper care of golf clubs is required both to maximize their usable life and to maintain their performance. An important aspect of proper care includes protecting golf club heads from damage due to impact with other golf club heads or exposure to environmental elements when not in use. Thus, head covers are widely used for certain types of golf clubs such as putters and woods. However, many prior head covers have used either no fastening devices or fastening devices that malfunction thereby hindering their effective use and/or discouraging their frequent use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a golf club head cover in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the golf club head cover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the golf club head cover of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an opposite end view of the golf club head cover of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a golf club head cover 10 is sized and shaped to fit on a golf club head (not shown). The head cover 10 includes a body 11 having a bottom wall 12 with magnetic means, such as a plurality of magnets 14, secured (i.e. embedded) in the bottom wall 12. The head cover 10 also includes a pair of side walls 16 which extend from the bottom wall 12 to form a compartment 18 for containing a golf club head. The magnets 14 hold the head cover 10 on the club head when the club head is contained in the compartment 18. The side walls 16 also define an opening 20 through which the club head may be inserted into or removed from the compartment 18. The opening 20 is further defined by a pair of end walls 17 a, 17 b extending between the side walls 16. One of the end walls 17 b is located closer to a toe end 11 b of the body 11 than a heel end 11 a of the body 11. The end wall 17 b has a substantially U-shaped opening 19 formed therein.

The bottom wall 12 and the side walls 16 may be formed from a variety of materials, such as leather, synthetic rubber, neoprene, polyethylene, polyurethane, ABS or other plastic or fabric materials. The magnets 14 facilitate use of the head cover 10 without undue manipulation thereby promoting frequent use of the head cover 10. Since the head cover 10 is held on the club head by magnetic force, no other fastening devices are needed to prevent the head cover 10 from being inadvertently removed from the club head.

In the preferred embodiment, the two magnets 14 are generally cylindrical with a thickness of about 3 mm and a diameter of about 20 mm. One magnet 14 is located adjacent the heel end 11 a of the body 11 while the other magnet 14 is located adjacent the toe end 11 b of the body 11. Each magnet 14 may be held in place in the bottom wall 12 by adhesives, rivets, stitching, or other conventional means. Alternatively, magnetic means of different sizes and shapes may be used instead of the magnets 14. For example, a strip of magnetic material (not shown) extending longitudinally of the bottom wall 12 may be used.

In the preferred embodiment, the head cover 10 is a putter head cover for use on a golf putter head. In other embodiments, the head cover 10 may be configured to accommodate other types of club heads such as wood heads and iron heads.

It will be understood that the magnets 14 could be secured in one or both of the side walls 16 instead of in the bottom wall 12. Also, it will be understood that the magnetic force of the magnets 14 permits a golfer to use a golf club to easily retrieve the head cover 10 without bending over. 

1. A club head cover for covering a club head, the club head cover comprising: a compartment defined between: a sole portion; a left portion coupled to the sole portion; a right portion coupled to the sole portion opposite the left portion; a heel end coupled to the sole portion between the left and right portions; a toe end coupled to the sole portion between the left and right portions; and a perimeter of an opening located opposite the sole portion and between the left and right portions; a first magnetic element secured at the sole portion proximate to a first one of the heel end or the toe end; and a second magnetic element secured at the sole portion and spaced apart from the first magnetic element in a direction towards a second one of the heel end or the toe end; wherein: the perimeter comprises a groove towards the toe end; the groove is sized to accommodate a diameter of at least one of a hosel or a shaft of the club head; and the first and second magnetic elements are configured to secure the club head cover to the club head when the club head lies adjacent to the sole portion and within the compartment.
 2. The club head cover of claim 1, wherein: the left and right portions define the compartment as generally L-shaped.
 3. The club head cover of claim 1, wherein: the first and second magnetic elements are embedded within the sole portion.
 4. The club head cover of claim 1, wherein: the first and second magnetic elements are generally cylindrical.
 5. The club head cover of claim 1, wherein: the first and second magnetic elements each have a thickness of about 3 mm and a diameter of about 20 mm.
 6. The club head cover of claim 1, wherein: the first magnetic element is located adjacent the first one of the heel end or the toe end; and the second magnetic element is located adjacent the second one of the heel end or the toe end.
 7. The club head cover of claim 1, wherein: the club head cover is devoid of other fastening devices to prevent the club head cover from being inadvertently removed from the club head.
 8. The club head cover of claim 1, wherein: the first one of the heel end or the toe end comprises the toe end; the second one of the heel end or the toe end comprises the heel end; and when the club head is inserted into the compartment, the first magnetic element is configured to engage the club head proximate to a toe of the club head; and the second magnetic element is configured to engage the club head proximate to a heel of the club head.
 9. The club head cover of claim 1, wherein: at least one of the sole portion, the left portion, or the right portion comprises at least one of: a leather material, a synthetic rubber material, a neoprene material, a polyethylene material, a polyurethane material, an ABS material, or a fabric material.
 10. The club head cover of claim 1, wherein: the first magnetic element comprises a first longest dimension; the second magnetic element comprises a second longest dimension; and the first and second magnetic elements are separated from each other by a distance greater than the first longest dimension and greater than the second longest dimension.
 11. The club head cover of claim 1, further comprising: a crown portion towards the toe end and between the left and right portions; wherein the groove of the perimeter is located at the crown portion.
 12. The club head cover of claim 1, wherein: the groove of the perimeter is substantially U-shaped.
 13. A golf club head cover comprising: a body comprising a bottom portion, a heel end, a toe end, and side portions coupled to the bottom portion; wherein the side portions extend from the bottom portion to form a generally L-shaped compartment for containing a golf club head and to define an opening opposite the bottom portion through which the golf club head can be inserted into and removed from the compartment, the opening being further defined between a pair of end portions extending between the side portions, a first end portion of the pair of end portions being located closer to the toe end of the body than to the heel end of the body, the first end portion having a substantially U-shaped opening; and a magnetic means in the bottom portion for holding the golf club head cover on the golf club head when the golf club head is contained in the compartment, the magnetic means comprising a first magnet located adjacent the toe end and a second magnet spaced apart from the first magnet in a direction extending towards the heel end.
 14. The golf club head cover of claim 13, wherein: the first and second magnets are embedded within the bottom portion.
 15. The golf club head cover of claim 13, wherein: the first and second magnets are generally cylindrical.
 16. The golf club head cover of claim 13, wherein: the second magnet is located adjacent the heel end of the body.
 17. The golf club head cover of claim 13, wherein: the first magnet is configured to restrict a secure only a head toe portion of the golf club head; and the second magnet is configured to secure only a head heel portion of the golf club head.
 18. A club head cover comprising: a bottom portion; a toe portion coupled to the bottom portion; a heel portion coupled to the bottom portion opposite the toe portion; a top portion coupled to the heel portion and opposite the bottom portion; a left portion coupled between the bottom and top portions; a right portion opposite the left portion and coupled between the bottom and top portions; a first magnetic element embedded within the bottom portion proximate to a first one of the heel portion or the toe portion; and a second magnetic element embedded within the bottom portion proximate to a second one of the heel portion or the toe portion; wherein the first and second magnetic elements are configured to secure the club head cover to a club head when the club head lies adjacent to the bottom portion and within the club head cover.
 19. The club head cover of claim 18, wherein: the top portion comprises at least part of a perimeter of an opening to the club head cover; the perimeter defines a groove of the opening towards the toe portion; and the groove is sized to accommodate a diameter of at least one of a hosel or a shaft of the club head.
 20. The club head cover of claim 18, wherein: the first magnetic element is located adjacent the first one of the heel portion or the toe portion; and the second magnetic element is located adjacent the second one of the heel portion or the toe portion. 